Ephesians 4-6

New American Standard Bible 1995

Unity of the Spirit

4 Therefore I, ^(A)the prisoner of the Lord, ^(B)implore you to ^(C)walk in a manner worthy of the ^(D)calling with which you have been ^(E)called, ² with all ^(F)humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another ^(G)in love, ³ being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the ^(H)bond of peace. ⁴ There is ^(I)one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one ^(J)hope of your calling; ^5 (K)one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all ^(L)who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But ^(M)to each one of us ^(N)grace was given ^(O)according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore ^[a]it says,

⁹ (Now this expression, “He ^(R)ascended,” what ^[b]does it mean except that He also ^[c]had descended into ^(S)the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is Himself also He who ascended ^(T)far above all the heavens, so that He might ^(U)fill all things.) ¹¹ And He ^(V)gave ^(W)some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as ^(X)evangelists, and some as pastors and ^(Y)teachers, ^12 (Z)for the equipping of the ^[d]saints for the work of service, to the building up of ^(AA)the body of Christ; ¹³ until we all attain to ^(AB)the unity of the faith, and of the ^[e](AC)knowledge of the Son of God, to a ^(AD)mature man, to the measure of the stature ^[f]which belongs to the ^(AE)fullness of Christ. ^14 [g]As a result, we are ^(AF)no longer to be children, ^(AG)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by ^(AH)craftiness ^[h]in ^(AI)deceitful scheming; ¹⁵ but ^[i]speaking the truth ^(AJ)in love, ^[j]we are to ^(AK)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the ^(AL)head, even Christ, ¹⁶ from whom ^(AM)the whole body, being fitted and held together ^[k]by what every joint supplies, according to the ^[l]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself ^(AN)in love.

The Christian’s Walk

^17 (AO)So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, ^(AP)that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the ^(AQ)futility of their mind, ¹⁸ being ^(AR)darkened in their understanding, ^[m](AS)excluded from the life of God because of the ^(AT)ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(AU)hardness of their heart; ¹⁹ and they, having ^(AV)become callous, ^(AW)have given themselves over to ^(AX)sensuality ^[n]for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ²⁰ But you did not ^(AY)learn ^[o]Christ in this way, ²¹ if indeed you ^(AZ)have heard Him and have ^(BA)been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, ²² that, in reference to your former manner of life, you ^(BB)lay aside the ^(BC)old ^[p]self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the ^(BD)lusts of deceit, ²³ and that you be ^(BE)renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and ^(BF)put on the ^(BG)new ^[q]self, which ^[r](BH)in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

²⁵ Therefore, ^(BI)laying aside falsehood, ^(BJ)speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are ^(BK)members of one another. ^26 (BL)Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not ^(BM)give the devil ^[s]an opportunity. ²⁸ He who steals must steal no longer; but rather ^(BN)he must labor, ^(BO)performing with his own hands what is good, ^(BP)so that he will have something to share with ^[t]one who has need. ²⁹ Let no ^[u](BQ)unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for ^(BR)edification ^[v]according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ^30 (BS)Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^[w]by whom you were ^(BT)sealed for the day of redemption. ^31 (BU)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be ^(BV)put away from you, along with all ^(BW)malice. ^32 (BX)Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, ^(BY)just as God in Christ also has forgiven ^[x]you.

Be Imitators of God

5 ^(BZ)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and ^(CA)walk in love, just as Christ also ^(CB)loved ^[y]you and ^(CC)gave Himself up for us, an ^(CD)offering and a sacrifice to God ^[z]as a ^(CE)fragrant aroma.

³ But ^(CF)immorality ^[aa]or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among ^[ab]saints; ⁴ and there must be no ^(CG)filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which ^(CH)are not fitting, but rather ^(CI)giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that ^(CJ)no ^[ac]immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(CK)of Christ and God.

^6 (CL)Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(CM)the wrath of God comes upon ^(CN)the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be ^(CO)partakers with them; ⁸ for ^(CP)you were formerly ^(CQ)darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as ^(CR)children of Light ⁹ (for ^(CS)the fruit of the Light consists in all ^(CT)goodness and righteousness and truth), ^10 [ad](CU)trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (CV)Do not participate in the unfruitful ^(CW)deeds of ^(CX)darkness, but instead even ^[ae](CY)expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible ^(CZ)when they are ^[af]exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason ^[ag]it says,

¹⁵ Therefore ^[ah]be careful how you ^(DD)walk, not ^(DE)as unwise men but as wise, ^16 [ai](DF)making the most of your time, because ^(DG)the days are evil. ¹⁷ So then do not be foolish, but ^(DH)understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(DI)do not get drunk with wine, ^[aj]for that is ^(DJ)dissipation, but be ^(DK)filled with the Spirit, ^19 (DL)speaking to ^[ak]one another in ^(DM)psalms and ^(DN)hymns and spiritual ^(DO)songs, ^(DP)singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; ^20 (DQ)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to ^[al](DR)God, even the Father; ^21 [am](DS)and be subject to one another in the ^[an](DT)fear of Christ.

Marriage Like Christ and the Church

^22 (DU)Wives, ^(DV)be subject to your own husbands, ^(DW)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(DX)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(DY)head of the church, He Himself ^(DZ)being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

^25 (EA)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(EB)gave Himself up for her, ^26 (EC)so that He might sanctify her, having ^(ED)cleansed her by the ^(EE)washing of water with ^(EF)the word, ²⁷ that He might ^(EG)present to Himself the church ^[ao]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be ^(EH)holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to ^(EI)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are ^(EJ)members of His ^(EK)body. ^31 (EL)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to ^(EM)love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^[ap](EN)respects her husband.

Family Relationships

6 ^(EO)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ^2 (EP)Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), ³ so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

^4 (EQ)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but ^(ER)bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

^5 (ES)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your ^[aq]masters according to the flesh, with ^(ET)fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, ^(EU)as to Christ; ^6 (EV)not ^[ar]by way of eyeservice, as ^(EW)men-pleasers, but as ^(EX)slaves of Christ, ^(EY)doing the will of God from the ^[as]heart. ⁷ With good will ^[at]render service, ^(EZ)as to the Lord, and not to men, ^8 (FA)knowing that ^(FB)whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, ^(FC)whether slave or free.

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, and ^(FD)give up threatening, knowing that ^(FE)both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is ^(FF)no partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(FG)be strong in the Lord and in ^(FH)the strength of His might. ^11 (FI)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the ^(FJ)schemes of the devil. ¹² For our ^(FK)struggle is not against ^[au](FL)flesh and blood, but ^(FM)against the rulers, against the powers, against the ^(FN)world forces of this ^(FO)darkness, against the ^(FP)spiritual forces of wickedness in ^(FQ)the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up ^(FR)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to ^(FS)resist in ^(FT)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, ^(FU)having girded your loins with truth, and having ^(FV)put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having ^(FW)shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ^16 [av]in addition to all, taking up the ^(FX)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the ^(FY)flaming arrows of ^(FZ)the evil one. ¹⁷ And take ^(GA)the helmet of salvation, and the ^(GB)sword of the Spirit, which is ^(GC)the word of God.

^18 [aw]With all ^(GD)prayer and petition ^[ax](GE)pray at all times ^(GF)in the Spirit, and with this in view, ^[ay](GG)be on the alert with all ^(GH)perseverance and ^(GI)petition for all the saints, ¹⁹ and ^(GJ)pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me ^(GK)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with ^(GL)boldness ^(GM)the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ^(GN)ambassador ^(GO)in ^[az]chains; that ^[ba]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(GP)boldly, ^(GQ)as I ought to speak.

^21 (GR)But that you also may know about my circumstances, ^[bb]how I am doing, ^(GS)Tychicus, ^(GT)the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ^22 [bc](GU)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know ^[bd]about us, and that he may ^(GV)comfort your hearts.

^23 (GW)Peace be to the brethren, and ^(GX)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ ^[be]with incorruptible love.